Mission: Junior Achievement of Arizona (JA) exists to prepare students to succeed in work and life.
Since 1957, JA has been teaching students, kindergarten through high school, how to: manage their money, be ready to enter the workforce, and to think like an entrepreneur. This critical education is delivered by nearly 9,000 volunteer mentors from the local and business community, helping students connect the dots between what they learn in the classroom to the real world.
Junior Achievement of Arizona is a 501(c)(3) organization, with an IRS ruling year of 1994, and donations may or may not be tax-deductible.
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Important note on the timeliness of ratings
The IRS is significantly delayed in processing nonprofits' annual tax filings (Forms 990). As a result, the Financial and Accountability & Transparency score for Junior Achievement of Arizona is outdated and the overall rating may not be representative of its current operations. Please check with the charity directly for any questions you may have.
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Star Rating System by Charity Navigator
Charity Navigator evaluates a nonprofit organization’s financial health including measures of stability, efficiency and sustainability. We also track accountability and transparency policies to ensure the good governance and integrity of the organization.
Good
This charity's score is 89.62, earning it a 3-Star rating. Donors can "Give with Confidence" to this charity.
This score is calculated from two sub-scores:
Finance: 85.33 View details
Accountability & Transparency: 100.00 View details
This score represents Form 990 data from 2019. More recent filing data is available, but it has not been factored into this score, due to COVID-19's effect on this organization.
This organization has issued a response to this rating. View this organization’s historical ratings.
Rating update postponed due to COVID-19's impact on this organization. View Junior Achievement of Arizona's response.
Star Rated Report
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Program Expense Ratio
74.8%
The Program Expense Ratio is determined by Program Expenses divided by Total Expense (average of most recent three 990s).
This measure reflects the percent of its total expenses a charity spends on the programs and services it exists to deliver. Dividing a charity's average program expenses by its average total functional expenses yields this percentage. We calculate the charity's average expenses over its three most recent fiscal years.
Source: IRS Form 990
Administrative Expenses
7.4%
As reported by charities on their IRS Form 990, this measure reflects what percent of its total budget a charity spends on overhead, administrative staff and associated costs, and organizational meetings. Dividing a charity's average administrative expenses by its average total functional expenses yields this percentage. We calculate the charity's average expenses over its three most recent fiscal years.
Source: IRS Form 990
Fundraising Expenses
17.7%
This measure reflects what a charity spends to raise money. Fundraising expenses can include campaign printing, publicity, mailing, and staffing and costs incurred in soliciting donations, memberships, and grants. Dividing a charity's average fundraising expenses by its average total functional expenses yields this percentage. We calculate the charity's average expenses over its three most recent fiscal years.
Source: IRS Form 990
Liabilities to Assets Ratio
14.4%
The Liabilities to Assets Ratio is determined by Total Liabilities divided by Total Assets (most recent 990).
Part of our goal in rating the financial performance of charities is to help donors assess the financial capacity and sustainability of a charity. As do organizations in other sectors, charities must be mindful of their management of total liabilites in relation to their total assets. This ratio is an indicator of an organization’s solvency and or long term sustainability. Dividing a charity's total liabilities by its total assets yields this percentage.
Source: IRS Form 990
Fundraising Efficiency
$0.18
The amount spent to raise $1 in charitable contributions. To calculate a charity's fundraising efficiency, we divide its average fundraising expenses by the average total contributions it receives. We calculate the charity's average expenses and average contributions over its three most recent fiscal years.
Source: IRS Form 990
Working Capital Ratio
1.07 years
Determines how long a charity could sustain its level of spending using its net available assets, or working capital, as reported on its most recently filed Form 990. We include in a charity's working capital unrestricted and temporarily restricted net assets, and exclude permanently restricted net assets. Dividing these net available assets in the most recent year by a charity's average total expenses, yields the working capital ratio. We calculate the charity's average total expenses over its three most recent fiscal years.
Source: IRS Form 990
Program Expense Growth
7.25%
We compute the average annual growth of program expenses using the following formula: [(Yn/Y0)(1/n)]-1, where Y0 is a charity's program expenses in the first year of the interval analyzed, Yn is the charity's program expenses in the most recent year, and n is the interval of years passed between Y0 and Yn.
Source: IRS Form 990
Governance
Charity Navigator looks to confirm on the Form 990 that the organization has these governance practices in place.
Sources Include: IRS Form 990
| Governance: | |
|---|---|
| Independent Voting Board Members ... (More) | |
| No Material Diversion of Assets ... (More) A diversion of assets – any unauthorized conversion or use of the organization's assets other than for the organization's authorized purposes, including but not limited to embezzlement or theft – can seriously call into question a charity's financial integrity. We check the charity's last two Forms 990 to see if the charity has reported any diversion of assets. If the charity does report a diversion, then we check to see if it complied with the Form 990 instructions by describing what happened and its corrective action. This metric will be assigned to one of the following categories:
| |
| Audited Financials Prepared by Independent Accountant ... (More) Audited financial statements provide important information about financial accountability and accuracy. They should be prepared by an independent accountant with oversight from an audit committee. (It is not necessary that the audit committee be a separate committee. Often at smaller charities, it falls within the responsibilities of the finance committee or the executive committee.) The committee provides an important oversight layer between the management of the organization, which is responsible for the financial information reported, and the independent accountant, who reviews the financials and issues an opinion based on its findings. We check the charity's Form 990 reporting to see if it meets this criteria.
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| Does Not Provide Loan(s) to or Receive Loan(s) From Related Parties ... (More) | |
| Documents Board Meeting Minutes ... (More) | |
| Distributes 990 to Board Before Filing ... (More) | |
| Compensates Board ... (More) |
Policies
Charity Navigator looks to confirm on the Form 990, or for some metrics on the charity's website, that the organization has these policies in place.
Sources Include: IRS Form 990 and organization's website
| Policies: | |
|---|---|
| Conflict of Interest ... (More) | |
| Whistleblower ... (More) | |
| Records Retention and Destruction ... (More) | |
| CEO Compensation Process ... (More) | |
| Donor Privacy ... (More) Donors can be reluctant to contribute to a charity when their name, address, or other basic information may become part of donor lists that are exchanged or sold, resulting in an influx of charitable solicitations from other organizations. Our analysts check the charity's website to see if the organization has a donor privacy policy in place and what it does and does not cover. Privacy policies are assigned to one of the following categories:
The privacy policy must be specific to donor information. A general website policy which references "visitor" or "user" personal information will not suffice. A policy that refers to donor information collected on the website is also not sufficient as the policy must be comprehensive and applicable to both online and offline donors. The existence of a privacy policy of any type does not prohibit the charity itself from contacting the donor for informational, educational, or solicitation purposes. (Less) |
Transparency
Charity Navigator looks to confirm on the Form 990, or for some metrics on the charity's website, that the organization makes this information easily accessible.
Sources Include: IRS Form 990 and organization's website
| Transparency: | |
|---|---|
| CEO Salary Listed on 990 ... (More) | |
| Board of Directors Listed on Website ... (More) | |
| Key Staff Listed on Website ... (More) | |
| Audited Financial Statements on Website ... (More) | |
| Form 990 Available on Website ... (More) |
Additional Information
Unscored
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Total Revenue and Expenses
This chart displays the trend of revenue and expenses over the past several years for this organization, as reported on their IRS Form 990.
Salary of Key Persons
Presented here are this organizations key compensated staff members as identified by our analysts. This compensation data includes salary, cash bonuses and expense accounts and is displayed exactly how it is reported to the IRS. The amounts do not include nontaxable benefits, deferred compensation, or other amounts not reported on Form W-2. In some cases, these amounts may include compensation from related organizations. Read the IRS policies for compensation reporting
Katherine K. Cecala, President
$207,418 (5.17% of Total Expenses)
Current CEO and Board Chair can be found in the Leadership & Adaptability report below.
Source: IRS Form 990 (page 7), filing year 2020
Business Master File Data
Below are some key data points from the Exempt Organization IRS Business Master File (BMF) for this organization. Learn more about the BMF on the IRS website
Activities:
Other school related activities (BMF activity code: 059)
Job training, counseling, or assistance (BMF activity code: 566)
Scholarships (other) (BMF activity code: 040)
Foundation Status:
Organization which receives a substantial part of its support from a governmental unit or the general public 170(b)(1)(A)(vi) (BMF foundation code: 15)
Affiliation:
Subordinate - the organization is a subordinate in a group ruling. (BMF affiliation code: 9)
Data Sources: IRS Forms 990
The Form 990 is a document that nonprofit organizations file with the IRS annually. We leverage finance and accountability data from it to form Encompass ratings. Click here to view this organization's Forms 990 on the IRS website (if any are available).
Pandemic Response
This organization was impacted by COVID-19 in a way that effected their financial health in 2020. This normally would have reduced their star rating. Due to the unprecedented nature of the pandemic, we give charities such as this one the opportunity to share the story of COVID's impact on them, and doing this pauses our revision of their rating. Charities may submit their own pandemic responses through their nonprofit portal.
Junior Achievement of Arizona reported being impacted by COVID-19 in the following ways:
Program Delivery
Fundraising Capacity
Revenue
Staffing
Administrative Capacity
Grants Received
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's operations financially:
Resulting from the reduction in corporate funding and the inability to host in-person fundraising events, Junior Achievement of Arizona experienced a 50% reduction in contributions since the pandemic began. The organization made critical decisions including furloughs, layoffs, salary reductions and office expenses so that revenues could be dedicated to the program innovation and delivery necessary to transcend pandemic times.
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's delivery of programs:
When schools closed in March 2020, Junior Achievement of Arizona had to figure out how to provide its programs in completely new delivery models overnight.
How this organization adapted to changing conditions caused by COVID-19:
We are committed to meeting students wherever and however they are learning today. During an average year, we provide more than 85,000 primarily low-income Arizona students with our critical programming in partnership with 9,000 community volunteers, 3,000 teachers, and the business community. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Junior Achievement of Arizona transitioned all of our programming to a new virtual format to ensure that we could continue providing our programming to the students who need it the most. Additionally, we created a suite of new virtual programs to provide myriad ways students could engage with JA, no matter their current learning environment. We are extremely proud that we have been able to provide our virtual programming to more than 60,000 primarily low-income Arizona students through and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic!
Innovations the organization intends to continue permanently after the pandemic:
Three new programs that were created: JA BizTown Adventures: A digital simulation where 4th – 6th grade students “try-on” business roles from real positions at real companies in our community – CEO, engineer, technician, doctor, marketing director, etc. Students learn problem-solving, decision making, and critical thinking. JA Inspire: Allows high school students to explore the careers of the future and equips them with critical work readiness skills to prepare them to succeed. Students take part in three online lessons, culminating in a virtual conference where they engage with employers in Arizona and video learning sessions. JA My Big Idea: This program takes a cohort of 10- to 12-year-olds through the process of creating their own businesses. This virtual and self-paced program incorporates videos, lessons, activities, and exploration. Students join group meetings to brainstorm, encourage, connect, and collaborate with one another and real entrepreneurs.
Official Charity Response
Junior Achievement of Arizona recruits, trains and coordinates more than 8,000 volunteers each year to deliver programs to Arizona students. The value of their contribution to JA is estimated at $2.25MM (based on the published rate by the Independent Sector), which is not reflected in the overall financials. When including the programmatic contribution from volunteers, donors can obtain a much broader view of the organization's financial efficiency and fitness.
Historical Ratings
| Date Published | Form 990 FYE | Overall Score | Overall Rating |
| Rating Version: 2.1 | |||
| 6/1/2020 | 2019 | 89.62 | |
| 7/1/2019 | 2018 | 86.31 | |
| 7/1/2018 | 2017 | 80.58 | |
| 6/1/2017 | 2016 | 80.72 | |
| 10/1/2016 | 2015 | 83.54 | |
| 7/1/2016 | 2015 | 83.30 | |
This organization received multiple star ratings within this fiscal year, due to an update to its Accountability and Transparency data and/or the receipt of an amended Form 990. | |||
| 6/1/2016 | 2014 | 85.83 | |
| Rating Version: 2.0 | |||
| 10/1/2015 | 2014 | 85.88 | |
| 7/1/2014 | 2013 | 86.21 | |
| 3/1/2013 | 2012 | 82.90 | |
Previous: Finance & Accountability / Next: Leadership & Adaptability
Impact & Results
This score estimates the actual impact a nonprofit has on the lives of those it serves, and determines whether it is making good use of donor resources to achieve that impact.
Impact & Results Score
Not Currently Scored
Junior Achievement of Arizona cannot currently be evaluated by our Encompass Rating Impact & Results methodology because either (A) it is eligible, but we have not yet received data; (B) we have not yet developed an algorithm to estimate its programmatic impact; (C) its programs are not direct services; or (D) it is not heavily reliant on contributions from individual donors.
Note: The absence of a score does not indicate a positive or negative assessment, it only indicates that we have not yet evaluated the organization.
Do you work at Junior Achievement of Arizona? Join the waitlist for an updated Impact & Results score.
Additional Information
Unscored
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Largest Programs
Junior Achievement of Arizona reported its three largest programs on its FY 2019 Form 990 as:
$1,537,343
Spent in most recent FY
52%
Percent of program expenses
JA BizTown Program
$1,154,657
Spent in most recent FY
39%
Percent of program expenses
In-Classroom Programs
$223,998
Spent in most recent FY
7%
Percent of program expenses
JA Finance Park Program
Previous: Impact & Results / Next: Culture & Community
Leadership & Adaptability
This score provides an assessment of the organization's leadership capacity, strategic thinking and planning, and ability to innovate or respond to changes in constituent demand/need or other relevant social and economic conditions to achieve the organization's mission.
Leadership & Adaptability Score
100
out of 100
The score earned by Junior Achievement of Arizona is a passing score. This score has no effect on the organization's Star Rating.
Encompass Rating V4 provides an evaluation of the organization's Leadership & Adaptability through the nonprofit organization submitting a survey response directly to Charity Navigator.
Leadership & Adaptability Report
100
of 100 points
Mission
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization’s mission
Junior Achievement of Arizona (JA) exists to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy. Since 1957, JA has been teaching students from kindergarten through high school how to:<br><br>- Manage their money<br>- Be ready to enter the workforce<br>- Think like an entrepreneur<br><br>This critical education is delivered by nearly 9,000 volunteer mentors from the local and business community, helping students connect the dots between what they learn in the classroom to the real world.
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
Vision
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization’s vision.
That all Arizona students graduate high school with ability to see their future potential, and the skills/knowledge needed to step into that potential.
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
Strategic Goals
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking and goal setting through sharing their most important strategic goals.
Goal One: Bring our premier JA Inspire program to more than 20,000 AZ high school and middle school students in the 21-22 school year.
Goal Type: Grow, expand, scale or increase access to the existing programs and services.
Goal Two: Provide JA programs to 80K Arizona students, K-12, in the 21-22 school year.
Goal Type: Focus on core programs to achieve mission and scale back on programs not seen as core.
Goal Three: Ensure accessibility of JA programs to the students who need it the most including intentional efforts around reaching students in foster care, detention centers, and primarily low-income schools.
Goal Type: New program(s) based on observed changes in needs among our constituencies/communities served.
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
Leadership Development
The nonprofit provides evidence of investment in leadership development
Describe an investment in leadership
Regular development opportunities are provided to leaders across the organization - ranging from prestigious Leadership training programs/classes, to personal development ongoing forums to staff-wide development opportunities like Brene Brown's Dare to Lead training. Leaders are empowered to participate in opportunities and encouraged to share learnings/implementation across the organization for shared knowledge gain.
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
Mobilizing for Mission
The nonprofit provides evidence of leadership through focusing externally and mobilizing resources for the mission.
This organization mobilizes for mission in the following ways:
Strategic Partnerships
Networks of Collective Impact Efforts
Thought Leadership
Raising Awareness
Community Building
Policy Advocacy
What are this organization’s external mobilizaton efforts?
Junior Achievement has made it a strategic priority to participate in each of the above-referenced areas, knowing that our organization's scale and proven track record lends increased expertise, bandwidth, and impact for our community and complementary efforts.
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
Story of Adaptability
The nonprofit has an opportunity to tell the story of how the organization adapted to tremendous external changes in the last year.
We are committed to meeting students wherever and however they are learning today. During an average year, we provide more than 85,000 primarily low-income Arizona students with our critical programming in partnership with 9,000 community volunteers, 3,000 teachers, and the business community. When schools closed, Junior Achievement of Arizona had to figure out how to deliver its programs in completely new models overnight. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Junior Achievement of Arizona transitioned all of our programming to a new virtual format to ensure that we could continue providing our programming to the students who need it the most. Additionally, we created a suite of new virtual programs to provide myriad ways students could engage with JA, no matter their current learning environment. We are extremely proud that we have been able to provide our virtual programming to more than 60,000 primarily low-income Arizona students through and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic!
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
Additional Information
Unscored
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Organization Leadership
Katherine Kemmeries Cecala
President
Marcia Wepfer
Chair
Previous: Leadership & Adaptability
Culture & Community
This score provides an assessment of the organization's culture and connectedness to the community it serves. Learn more about how and why we rate Culture & Community.
Culture & Community Score
100
out of 100
Junior Achievement of Arizona has earned a passing score. This score has no effect on the organization's Star Rating. The organization provided data about how it listens to constituents (Constituent Feedback) (see report below).
The Culture & Community Beacon is comprised of the following metrics:
Constituent Feedback: 100/100 (100% of beacon score)
Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion: Not Scored
Culture & Community Report
100
of 100 points
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Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
This organization has not provided information regarding the diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practices it is presently implementing. As such, the organization has not earned a score on this metric. Charity Navigator believes nonprofit organizations implementing effective DEI policies and practices can enhance a nonprofit's decision-making, staff motivation, innovation, and effectiveness.
Methodology
We are utilizing data collected by Candid to document and assess the DEI practices implemented by the organization. Nonprofit organizations are encouraged to fill out the Equity Strategies section of their Candid profiles to receive a rating.
Learn more about the methodology.
Constituent Feedback
100/100 points
100% of beacon score
This organization reported that it is collecting feedback from the constituents and/or communities it serves. Charity Navigator believes nonprofit organizations that engage in inclusive practices, such as collecting feedback from the people and communities they serve, may be more effective.
View this organization's Constituent Feedback Practices
Methodology
We've partnered with Candid to survey organizations about their feedback practices. Nonprofit organizations can fill out the How We Listen section of their Candid profile to receive a rating.
Learn more about the methodology.
Analysis and Research
Like the overall Encompass Rating System, the Culture & Community Beacon is designed to evolve as metrics are developed and ready for integration. Below you can find more information about the metrics we currently evaluate in this beacon and their relevance to nonprofit performance.
Constituent Feedback
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
